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A court in San Francisco has ordered Google to simplify the process of installing competing app stores within the Google Play Store. Judge James Donato ruled that the company must remove unnecessary steps and warning windows that currently complicate the process. This decision fits into the broader context of the Epic Games lawsuit against Google, in which a jury recognized Google as an illegal monopolist in the field of app distribution and billing on the Android system.
The End of Anti-Competitive Obstacles in the Google Play Store
The court described the current installation process as intentional anti-competitive friction designed to deter average users. According to information from theverge.com, Google must implement the changes within one week. Judge James Donato stated:
That is not acceptable
Specific changes concern controls and search. According to theverge.com, the "view" button must be replaced by an "install" button. James Donato stated:
Make that install, not view. Furthermore, the court ordered the search function to be fixed so that a query for "store for apps" displays app stores rather than physical stores, such as Walmart.
The judge also banned the use of intermediate steps, specifically the "are you looking for" screen that appears when searching for alternative stores or specifically the Aptoide store. James Donato declared:
Take off the ‘are you looking for’ screen, there’s no purpose for that. There’s a friction there that has no purpose whatsoever
Distribution of Alternative Stores and Access Terms
Starting July 22, 2026, alternative app and game stores that meet established criteria may be distributed within the Play Store in the USA, according to igeeksblog.com. The first such store to appear in Google Play was Aptoide Games.
However, the Play Catalog Access Program is limited only to users in the USA. In other countries, the standard installation of apps from outside the store-sideloading via APK files-continues to be used, writes notebookcheck.net. Financial terms apply to stores joining this program. According to notebookcheck.net, they must pay an initial verification fee of 5,000 dollars and a subsequent annual support fee of another 5,000 dollars.